Emily Cadence
by Marjorie K. Place
Summary: Follows My Shots Fired Story. LaSalle and Brody are having their baby, but will the little bundle of joy bring them together? Romance/Brody Peril.
1. Chapter 1

**Recap from Shots Fired: When Cade dies tragically in Chris' house Brody tries to help him cope. Although, Chris is dating Savannah at the time he turns to Brody for comfort and she unknowingly becomes pregnant. When Chris returns to Alabama, he briefly reconciles with Savannah until Pride intervenes and brings him back home, where Brody announces to the world that she is carrying his child. When Brody attempts to apologize to Savannah for coming between she and Chris, she is shot by an intruder at the clinic where Savannah works. Brody and Chris decide to name their unborn baby girl after Brody's sister, Emily and Cade.**

 **A/N: The story is much better than the recap! FYI, I wrote Shots Fired back in February before the You'll Do cliffhanger/ storyline was revealed. Savannah is alive and well in this story and Cade is not.**

 **Emily Cadence Part 1**

Chris LaSalle stood in the middle of his living room strolling down memory lane. For the past 10 years this place had been his man cave, his home and his fortress of solitude. He almost shuddered to think about what life would be like living somewhere else. He had to admit that over the past several months, things hadn't been quite the same between him and his little hole in the wall in the Quarter. Cade had died, right here in the middle of the living room, leaving behind haunting memories. It was time to move on he reasoned gazing out the window at the _for sale_ sign that sat on the in flower garden beside the front step.

In just eight short weeks, his daughter, Emily Cadence, was going to arrive and though his place was big enough to accommodate the impending bundle of joy, the French Quarter was hardly the place to be raising a child.

Brody preferred the garden district. In fact, she had her eye on a place not too far from the house where Pride and Linda had lived. It was a nice enough neighborhood, Chris supposed, but it wasn't here. It wasn't this place: the place where everything happened. The best parties, the best music, and the best food, it was right here, where he loved to be, smack in the middle of everything.

Averting his eyes, Chris spotted a speck of green paint on the French doors, leading to the bedroom. He hadn't noticed it before, but it was leftover from Cade's attempt to recreate a Jackson Pollock masterpiece all over the walls.

Maybe moving was for the best he sighed wistfully. He'd only brought Brody here the one time, right after she'd announced to all of the tourists in Jackson Square that she was carrying his child. He wasn't sure, maybe it was the fact that he himself was still trying to get over the fact that his only brother had died right here in the living room.

Most nights when he and Brody stayed together they stayed at her place but now that she was on bedrest those times were few and far between. For the most part, Brody had become a night owl, tossing and turning all night, up at all hours wandering about the house or binge watching her favorite TV shows on Netflix.

Their relationship was an odd one for sure. Until recently it had mainly centered on Chris' need to deal with his grief over losing Cade and now, well he wasn't sure what it was exactly.

The words I love you, had slipped out a time or two during the throes of a romantic tryst and then again the first time, he'd actually seen the first screen captures of Emily Cadence. But Brody had only said them once, right after she'd been shot trying to save Savannah from a shooter who had entered the clinic.

Chris assumed that it was due to the fact that Brody was still trying to deal with the fact she'd been shot while trying to apologize to the redhead for coming between him and his childhood sweetheart. But the truth was Chris shared just as much of the blame. If he hadn't of slept with Savannah in Alabama then Brody wouldn't have been shot and the child that he was anxiously waiting for would have never been put in danger. If he had to put money on it, he was certain that there were times when she purposely tried to push him, hoping he'd go back into the redheads awaiting arms.

Then there was also James, Brody's ex, who was married to his work. Even at 8 months along, Brody regularly kept a standing date every time the reporter blew into town which Chris was still trying to understand. But he'd agreed not to push or question. Instead, he chose to dote on her and continue to make plans for their future. Whether that be that they were sharing the same house with separate bedrooms or the same bedroom remained to be seen.

His cell phone started to buzz, reminding him that he needed to get to the field office for the quarterly conference call with Director Vance and associate Director Granger. This morning he had agreed to pick up agent Percy along the way, so that she could brief him on a joint investigation that they were working on involving a truck load of stolen Sarin nerve gas. All federal agencies were banding together to track down the deadly agent before it was released on the city.

The petite, sassy, NCIS agent had just stepped into the truck, when Chris' cell phone went off.

 _Brody_

Percy rolled her eyes as she saw the name flash up onto the dash. "Snow White is starting early today."

"Excuse me?" Chris 'eyes narrowed slightly sensing that he was in for a bout of Percy's teasing. Obviously, she took some sort of sick delight in naming all of the women in his life after Disney characters.

"You know what I mean." Percy groaned as the phone went off again. "Honey do this, honey do that. That woman has got you whipped."

"Well, we are having a baby together."

"You sure about that?" Percy asked as the phone rang for a third time.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just answer your damn phone." For the most part, Percy found Brody and LaSalle's relationship amusing. She'd never seen two people so love, yet were trying so hard not to be together. So what if LaSalle had slept with the mermaid before he and Snow White made an exclusive commitment. Who really gave a rip that there was nearly a decade between them? Then there was the fact that they worked together, well that was Pride's call to make if it ever became an issue. And to top everything off, they both felt guilty over the fact that Brody had been shot soon after discovering she was pregnant.

Sometimes she just wanted to murder them both in their sleep. If it weren't for the fact that they were having a baby she just might.

Chris answered via the hands free system allowing Brody's voice to broadcast throughout the cab.

Her voice sounded strained like she was having a bad morning. Although the morning sickness had passed, there were now other things plaguing her swollen and stretched out body. "Chris, I need a favor. Can you stop by the pharmacy and pick up some Hemorrhoid cream. I'm-

Did she seriously just say hemorrhoid? Chris nearly hit the car in front him of him attempting to switch from Bluetooth back to his cell. . All of the things in the world, Hemorrhoid medication ranked right up there with feminine products. It was also the number one shoplifted item in the world for the obvious reason.

"Chris? Are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," he answered grappling for his cell as Percy gave him a murderous look. Her soymilk cappuccino had just sloshed out through the hole in the lid and onto her hand.

"See what I mean." When he got off the phone, Percy stared him skeptically.

"What?"

"What do you mean, what?" Percy wanted to slap the living shit out of him. "The woman just asked you to pick up Hemorrhoid cream and you agreed to it?" Not even women went shopping for that without making sure the basket will filled to the brim with other stuff to camouflage the unmentionable medication.

"So?" Brody was eight months pregnant and on bedrest due to high blood pressure spikes. It wasn't like the woman could be running all over town. Although, oddly enough she did still manage to find the strength to see James every time he blew into town.

"So, you've got it bad for her. There ain't going to be no coming back from this. You might as well take your ass down to _Jared's_ right now."

"Who?" Chris looked at her confused until she removed a large piece of bling from her right finger and shifted it to the left, dangling it in front of him. The mention of one the state's largest jewelry retailors meant nothing to him.

"I don't think that would work in my favor right now."

Percy made a face. It wasn't her style to get wrapped up in the lives of the agents she worked with but LaSalle was different. The guy had literally been dragged through broken glass when his brother had died and then again when Brody had been shot. He deserved someone in his life that could make him happy. For that matter so did Brody. Bottom line, they deserved each other.

"She still seeing that other guy?"

"Every now and then," Chris answered flatly. It was once a month, the second Tuesday to exact and had been ever since she'd recovered from that bullet wound.

"What about you and the little mermaid?"

A wry smiled spread across Chris' face. He hadn't seen Savannah face to face since that night in Jackson Square. Brody on the other hand was putting him through the ringer. After the shooting, somehow she and Savannah had actually saw fit to become friends. If that wasn't a torture created in hell he didn't know what was.

Ever since he'd heard his partner announced that she was pregnant, his only thoughts of possible romance surrounded around Brody. He'd come to love that woman more than life itself, but for whatever reason, something kept pulling them apart.

"Brody know about the Sarin case?" Sonja asked.

"Nope, and I don't plan on tellin' her."

Percy sucked in a breath. "LaSalle… She is gunna beat your ass when she finds out."

Chris gave her a half grin as he pulled into the pharmacy parking lot. "Like I said, I don't plan on telling her." He didn't want her to worry. Brody had enough to anxiety with the pregnancy and spiking blood pressure. He didn't need to add to that by telling her that he and Percy had been assigned to find the deadly nerve agent that was being transported through the city.

 **A/N: The case will weave in and out of the story, but isn't the main focus.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to my reviewers, and those who put this on alert. It was a little slow to start I know, but I think this chapter should get things revved, up a bit.** **BTW, I made a slight revision for plot purposes. Brody is 36 weeks pregnant, not 32.**

Meredith Brody closed her eyes as a tightening sensation travelled across the center of her abdomen and radiated down her back. At 36 weeks, Braxton-Hicks contractions were a normal occurrence among other things. To put it plainly, she was miserable. As if being stuck at home bored out of her damn mind, she had other unpleasantries to worry about: heartburn, hemorrhoids, muscle cramps, a weaken dribbling bladder, you name it she had it. The worse part however was the reoccurring sciatic nerve pain that struck every time she tried to use the can. Using the bathroom had now become an excoriating experience and ranked as her number one reason to never again sleep with your partner when he is grieving and drunk.

Being pregnant with LaSalle's child was just about the loveliest experience she'd ever had. NOT! Though she had only gained a mere 24 pounds, she felt like a whale. To quote Sebastian she was turning into Jabba the Hut.

Pencil thin legs and a near perfect ass allowed her to carry her weight in the abdominal region, making her look like she had swallowed a Platies ball. LaSalle continuously told her she looked great and up until the other day she had believed him until she had caught a glimpse of herself naked in the full length mirror. As if being a forty something pregnant whale weren't bad enough, there were also stretch marks galore! So much for bikini season when this was over.

 _Over_ she thought with a pleasant smile as the child inside of her moved. In just two short months, she was going to become a mother to the most adorable little girl she'd ever seen. The thought absolutely terrified her. Although, she had spent hours upon hours reading and scrolling the web learning about how to be good parent, she couldn't quite quell the thought that she and Chris had no idea of what they were doing. They were kick ass federal agents, not Ozzy and Harriet.

At least she had James to take her mind off of things she thought as her cell phone came to life flashing a picture of the handsome journalist. She knew that deep down he was nothing but a nice distraction from the terrifying thought that she was actually going to have every little girl's dream of raising a family and having a kick ass career with her true-

Wait, stop. She had only used the "L" word once. It wasn't that she didn't love Chris, it was the fear that once she said those words that fate would somehow strike one of them down. The fact that she had been shot, kept reminding of that. What if she gave into her feelings and allowed herself to fall head over heels, blissfully in love, only to have it suddenly taken away? She had learned from James and a few others before him to keep her distance. It was safer that way.

They did have great sex though Brody thought trying to remember the last time… Damn, had it really been that long? She frowned at the thought that it wouldn't be happening any time soon. Not, that it couldn't. She was just so damn uncomfortable that the thought of even trying for LaSalle's sake repulsed her. One look at her naked and the man would probably be scarred for life and left unable to perform.

She did the miss the times that they would just lay together, trying to imagine what their baby girl would look like. She wanted Emily Cadence to have Chris' intense sapphire colored eyes with her long dark eyelashes. She also wanted her to have his amazing smile. In fact, when she thought about it, she wanted her to have most everything that was uniquely him with her thin tall frame and her slight Midwestern accent.

She frowned thoughtfully at the idea of how much she missed him. She missed the day to day interaction of trying to piece together a case or riding in the truck to interview a witness she missed the banter of their partnership. She missed everything about being around him, especially when she was alone at night.

But at least, Patton had sent over some of the current case files that needed a second look which helped to pass the time and allowed her to still have a sense of professional worth. She had yet to really think about what she was going to do once Emily was born. She and Chris had both agreed to take maternity leave at separate times to so they had at least three months covered without needing child care but after that she didn't know. She supposed that once they settled on a place to live that they would begin looking at daycare and the cost of a full-time nanny with their schedules it would be impossible to keep a regular 7-5 routine. So many decisions to be made she sighed as the little life inside of her kicked, causing a visible wave to travel across her stomach.

Her cell phone rang again and she debated for a moment before answering it. She really needed to tell Chris about James and their standing monthly date. It wasn't fair that she was keeping the details from him, but at the moment she just couldn't seem to find the words. Anything she would say felt like it would come out wrong.

"Hey, I'm a little under the weather today, afraid; I don't feel much like smiling today."

"I bet I can find a reason to make you smile."

"You always do," She replied.

"Then I'll pick you up in an hour?"

"Better make that two," Brody sighed as another tightening wave travelled across her stomach.

* * *

Percy looked at the framed 3x5 black and white ultrasound photo that sat on LaSalle's desk. It was one of several that she had seen over the last 6 months. Due to the fact that Merri had been shot early on in her pregnancy, regular ultrasounds and at regular risk check-ups were the norm. It almost seemed as if LaSalle was at her baby doctor appointments more than he was at work.

"Ya ready?" Chris asked as he stepped up to her donning Kevlar. They were going with Pride to check out a lead on the Sarin case. A tip from Ross P had actually given them a possible suspect, a former meth lab cook who had now turned chemical terrorist.

"Waiting on you," she quipped, as he handed her a set of Kevlar.

"We're meeting Pride there."

Percy pulled the vest over her head. "I suppose we're going to drop off Snow White's medication along the way?"

"Don't have time," Chris tossed out as they headed for the truck. He would go as soon as they were finished. He felt bad that he couldn't go right now, but they were just too busy with the case. Pride and Born were already waiting on them.

Once they had all assembled at the run down cabin, Pride started to delve out orders from what they could see the cabin and the adjacent metal garage storage area were empty.

"If they were cooking meth it probably happened in there," Borin motioned towards the garage noting that it seemed to have lines running to it for temperature control."

"My guess is we'll find the Sarin in there," Pride added. "Chris, Sonja take the cabin. Borin and I will take the garage."

"Roger that, King" Chris stood with his weapon ready while Percy knocked on the door.

"NCIS!"

When no response came Chris kicked open the door and together they started to canvass the house. It was just a one room cabin rectangular in size, the kitchen on one end and the living room on the other. Chris was just about to the center of the living room ready to call out "all clear" when he heard a small gasp from behind him.

Whirling around LaSalle saw Percy's eyes widen in fear before he heard the sound of the click of the pressure plate. A pressure plate was the equivalent to the pin on a grenade. Once you pulled the pin out you had to keep applying the pressure otherwise it was going to explode.

Percy looked down at her foot, kicking herself. She was trained to watch out for these things.

"La-" She had barely gotten the first syllable of his name out when Chris suddenly slammed into her with such a force that it sent the two of them sailing back through the doorway in which they came, clearing the porch as the bomb went off.

Her head hit the dirt with a thud, in time with a crushing sensation in her chest. She was certain that LaSalle had just broken a couple of her ribs with the force of his weight. At only, 5'2, she was no match for the one hundred-sixty pound bulk of muscle that was now pinning her to the ground.

For several moments, they laid perfectly still waiting for the debris to stop flying. Thank God for Kevlar, Chris thought as fiery splinters of wood and glass rained down upon his neck and back. They were still so close to the flames that he certain that he'd be missing some hair from his arms and the back of his neck when he finally decided to get up.

"You two all right?" Pride asked noting the blood pouring down the side of LaSalle's face when his second in command finally stumbled to his feet. Spared from the explosion itself, he'd caught a piece of debris on the left side of his forehead.

"Fine," he answered giving Percy a hand up.

Pride gave his number one a discerning glare. Brody would never forgive him if LaSalle were to die from what seemed to be a simple head wound. "Make sure you get that checked out."

"Sure thing, King."

* * *

"I wanna see you try to keep this from Brody," Sonja quipped as she watched the EMT pulled the thick black thread through LaSalle's left eyebrow.

"She probably won't even notice," LaSalle winced as the suture was closed. Two stiches were nothing, but they still hurt like hell.

"Like hell she won't notice!" The woman wasn't blind. Unless he was planning on staying away from her for the next ten days, but even then that kind of wound would leave a scar.

"You don't know, Brody." he said resigned as the medic finished off the wound with a butterfly stitch.

Percy crossed her arms over her chest. "Then why don't you enlighten me."

"Things are just pretty PG between us right now is all."

"What the hell is PG?"

"Pretty Grim"

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"You think she's slept with this other guy?"

LaSalle shrugged. He was pretty sure he could rule out the idea that she hadn't been with James recently given her current state but he didn't know about earlier on in the pregnancy when he'd been in Alabama. Definitely before, yes, that was a known as was his time with Savannah.

"Have you asked?"

"That's not really how I do things."

"Well, maybe you need to change your game plan."

Chris lowered his head as a smile spread to his face. He trusted Brody he really did. They were just in an awkward place at the moment.

"You want to ride along to the hospital for a CAT scan agent" one of the EMTs asked.

"No, I good" Chris answered watching Percy's eyes grow wide.

"To hell you are." She whipped out her cell phone. "Why don't we just ask Brody and get her opinion?"

Chris pushed his hand out. "Wait…wait…I'll go," he said begrudgingly.

* * *

Brody was in the kitchen when she heard Chris enter through the front door and make his way to her.

"Chris, I called you hours ago…." she whirled before noticing the butterfly stitch across his eyebrow. She moved it to touch it, only to have him flinch away.

"What happened?"

"Nuthin," he shrugged. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry.

"That is not nothing." Brody rubbed the pad of her thumb over his injured brow. "Tell me what happened." Anything that warranted, stitches was serious in this point of the game. They were about to have a baby.

Turning away, Chris set her prescription on the table. "Percy and I encountered a bomb in house we were searching is all. It's nothing to get all bowed up about."

"So you and Sonja were almost blown up?"

"Almost only counts in horse shoes." He quipped before crossing back to her. He placed his hands on the bulge of her stomach, hoping to feel his baby girl move. As luck would have it, Emily Cadence was curled up tight in her mother's womb sucking on her thumb.

"She's upset at you." Brody sighed, earning a curious look.

His brow furrowed. Had he done something wrong? "What do you mean upset?"

"Her daddy was almost killed and nobody bothered to call her mommy," Brody took a purposeful step back. More and more she was beginning to feel disconnected from the team and the job she loved. Worse of all, she felt like Chris was slipping away, shutting her out from everything work related. He was there so much that she really only saw him when he was sleeping and even that was becoming a rarity. She hated to admit it but she finally understood how Linda Pride had felt like before she decided to divorce King.

Chris rolled his eyes. "It's a couple of stitches. Percy stepped on a pressure plate and I pushed her out of the way."

Pushed her out of the way? How stupid was that? With the bomb right underneath Percy's foot, they both could have been killed in the blast. "It didn't occur to you to call the bomb squad?"

"There wa'nt time." Brody knew the drill. They saw a bomb. They ran like hell. He couldn't very well leave Percy there while he went outside to retrieve his phone to call the bomb squad.

Brody shook her head in disgust. Normally, this kind of behavior from her partner wouldn't have bothered her. In fact, she would have thought it was kind of sexy and heroic but now it just seemed reckless.

"Chris, we are having a baby. You can't be taking risks like that."

Did Brody even hear herself? Chris bit down on his lower lip to keep from saying something he shouldn't. It just wouldn't be worth the fight. "I gotta go. King's excepting me back." Leaning in, he pecked her cheek.

Brody could only nod as tears began to prick at her lashes. Damn those hormones. Thank God his back was to her she thought, dabbing at her eyes. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her complete blubbering hot mess over a couple of stitches. He was just about to the door when she decided to call out to him. Maybe it was time to bite the bullet so to speak.

"Chris-"

"Yeah?" he turned, his heart skipping a beat in anticipation over what she might say.

Brody looked up at him like a nervous school girl who was about to ask the boy of her dreams to the Sadie Hawkins dance. "Would mind stayin' here with me tonight?"

LaSalle smiled at her in relief. He was afraid she was going to take his head off. "I'll try to be back early but no guarantees."

* * *

Hours later, Brody sat at the kitchen table admiring the photographs that James had taken of her. They were all arranged in order from the very beginning of her pregnancy until now. Beautiful, sexy photos that ignited her face and slender, but growing frame. Just a couple of more she thought placing her hand on the center of her stomach. Once they were finished and in an album she was going to give them to Chris.

She heard a bump at the door. Crap! It was Chris. He was much earlier than she had expected. Quickly, she scrambled to put the photos back into the large file folder, before slowly pulling to her feet.

"What's the matter? Did you forget your key?" she smiled, hearing another rap at the door. Still smiling, she opened the door to an unfamiliar figure.

"Meredith Brody?"

"Yes."

"Delivery," The man shoved a small box into her hands as a second man, grabbed her from behind, pushing a sweet smelling rag over her face. She tried to struggle but the chemical on the rag was too strong. In a matter of seconds, she went limp in her assailant's arms.

"Get her on the kitchen table," the first man said to the other. "We have to be quick with this."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't normally revise but in the spirit of making this story seem a bit more Cherri centered, I have decided to go with a different storyline which I hope will more appealing to all. I promise it will still be the same quality that you have come to expect from me, just a bit more softer perhaps if I can be trusted to do that. ;)**

 **Chapter 3 Revised**

"Brody"

Meredith Brody woke with a start when she felt Chris touch her arm. Immediately, her hands flew to her stomach. She was still pregnant. She'd fallen asleep on the couch while trying to organize the photos that James had given to her.

"Chris?"

"You were screamin,'" Not a pitiful mew, but a blood curdling someone is trying to kill me scream.

"I had a nightmare," she breathed latching onto his hand for support. Gently, he pulled her to her feet not expecting her arms to wind around his neck. The dream had seemed so real. Two men trying to… She definitely needed to lie off of the medical shows that featured women having babies ripped out of their wombs and sold to the highest bidder.

For several moments, she held onto him, until she noticed the front door. Part of it was splintered at the jam. "You kicked in Loretta's door?" she accused, freeing herself from the embrace.

Chris gave her a half grin. "Like, I said. You were screamin.'"

Brody gave him a perturbed glance that said _fix it._

"I'll get on it first thing in the morning." He added, until she leveled him with a look that said _now._

LaSalle made a face, all of the local hardware stores were closed at this hour. He'd have to make a trek across town to the local Wal-Mart. It would be after midnight when he got back. But if it kept him out of the dog house, it would be worth it.

By the time he finished fixing the door and had showered, Chris LaSalle was dead dog, beat, tired. The kind of tired you felt down in your bones. There was part of him that just wanted to go home and crash back at his place, but the look on Brody's face when she had asked him to stay still tugged at his heart.

Brody was propped up on pillows leaning against the headboard when he crawled into bed beside her. He was hesitant to touch her at first, out of fear that the hormonal monster would lash out. It was a catch 22, he could be damned if he tried something and damned if he didn't. So, he decided to proceed with caution.

Brody was scrolling on her I-Pad, looking at houses when he leaned in and kissed her bare shoulder.

"Don't even think about it." She quipped, still concentrating on her listing of available homes in the Garden District.

"I know," Chris smiled at her. "But how about if I scoot in behind ya and rub your shoulders and then if ya like it, maybe I'll do your feet." He'd noticed how swollen and painful looking her ankles had become over the last couple of weeks.

Brody's face lit up. "Oh, that would be lovely." She inched down a little toward the footboard, allowing Chris to move in behind her.

"What are we looking at?" he asked as she settled herself between his knees, allowing him to work on her shoulders.

"A two-story four bedroom on Gulf Coast Way; it's a little older but it's nice and close to good a school."

Chris smirked as she brought up the virtual tour. "Uh, that's King's house."

"Really?" Brody turned her head, providing him the opportunity to kiss her cheek.

"Yup. He and Linda moved in when Laurel was three."

"Wow," she sighed, "it has a really nice kitchen."

"Well, ya know how King likes to cook."

Brody settled back a little more into his chest as he dropped a kiss to her neck. "Chris, I'm sorry about earlier, the whole bomb and stitches thing."

"I know you only fuss at me because you care," he quipped before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his face into the crook of her neck.

Brody squirmed a little as his lips tickled the sensitive skin between her shoulder and her throat. "Hey, what happened to my massage?" In a counter move, she reached up cupping the side of his face as she turned into him inviting a kiss.

It had been so long, she thought closing her eyes as the kiss deepened. For several moments, she just laid there enjoying the sensation of their mouths melting together. She knew it wouldn't last long but for the first time in several weeks she was starting to feel like a real person again, instead of beached whale that was waiting for someone to put it out of its misery.

"I love you," he said when the kiss ended, watching the intent way she was staring at him. He loved the way big brown eyes twitched when she was contemplating.

She smiled at him, her lips parting ever so slightly. She was finally going to say it back. She could do this. "I-"

Then his phone rang deadpanning the moment.

Ugh.

"Dead body?" she questioned as he turned toward the opposite nightstand.

"It's King. I gotta go." Damn, he and Brody were just starting to reconnect he thought as he turned back to her.

She touched his face again. "Come back when you're finished?"

"I'll try." He smiled lazily at her, knowing that if this had anything to do with the Sarin case he probably wouldn't be finished for weeks. Whoever was behind the case had been pretty good at evading them up until this point.

"No more bad dreams, ok? I don't want to have to come back her and kicked the door down again."

Brody smiled largely at him as he kissed her quickly and then dropped at second kiss to her bulging stomach. Maybe things were finally starting to get back on track.

* * *

"Do not touch the victim," Loretta warned as the team gathered around. The male victim had facial ulcers and was bleeding through the eyes. "The death appears that it could be biological or chemical based."

"So we could be looking at Sarin," Pride finished looking at LaSalle.

"Looks like someone finally decided to open one of those canisters that have floating around the city."

"I want everyone in hazmat suits now," Pride barked.

Great, hazmat suits would make their job three times as difficult. Chris understood the necessary precaution but the thought of wearing the bulky suit did not please him. His head was already splitting as it was from having to put in the extra hours to fix Loretta's door. Having to put on the full face mask and breathing apparatus was only going to make it worse.

After changing, he knelt down beside Percy and began to guide the rookie agent through the steps of processing a body that had been exposed to chemical warfare.

"So you and Snow White set a date yet?" Percy quipped as he watched him gather skin and tissue samples.

LaSalle glanced at her briefly. "I already told you. We're not getting married."

"I just figured after she gotta look at those handsome stitches of yours that she'd be begging you to take her down the aisle."

Chris shook his head as Sebastian came into view. "Don't look now but here comes your prince charming."

"The man of my dreams," Percy smiled largely as the tall and nerdy lab geek appeared in front of them, dressed in his own homemade Star Trek version of a hazmat suit.

"As I've said before there is something seriously wrong with you."

* * *

 **Seven Hours Later**

LaSalle sat at his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose. The body had given them validation that the city was indeed under a biological threat but they were still nowhere in finding out who or why.

He was just about to pull to his feet when Brody suddenly appeared and dropped a take-out bag filled with his favorite breakfast burrito and a bottle of Advil on his desk. A cup of coffee from Bourbon Street Java was in her hands.

"All nighter?"

LaSalle pulled his hand away from his face, "And probably all day."

"You want to tell me about it?" Brody asked craving adult conversation. She knew she shouldn't be out and about but being cooped up in the house day after day was becoming torturous. She was actually feeling better today, quite energetic in fact.

"Not particularly." He answered thinking of her high blood pressure.

Brody decided not to press. If she really wanted answers about the case all she would have to do was go to Pride. As it was she had already called upon a favor from him this morning. "Well, what you do say I steal away you for a little bit and we go look at a house."

"Which one?" Chris asked digging his hand into the white take-out bag. It was just a little after 8:00 a.m. It seemed a little early to be looking at houses.

"The one we looked at last night." she said carefully.

Chris made a face as he dove into his breakfast burrito. "King's house?" he asked in between bites.

"Yes, in fact Pride has already given me the key. So, we don't even need to bother the realtor. " She replied smartly.

Chris let out an inward sigh as he reached for the coffee that was still in her hand. "I've only got a couple of hours. Then I've got to get back to the case "

"I think I can smooth things over with your boss if you're a little late." Brody grinned reaching for his free hand as Pride came out of the kitchen.

"You can keep him for as long as you need as long as I can have him back when by the time Loretta finishes her autopsy and by the way Brody, you look very radiant this morning."

Brody held tightly to Chris' hand as they walked across the street to the truck.

"We've got to stop by the bank first and check on our loan application." He said, opening the passenger side door .

Brody kept their fingers tangled a little longer than she needed too, "Are you aren't trying to keep me from seeing Pride's house?"

LaSalle grinned as he leaned in giving her a quick peck. "No, I just want to make sure we have the essentials taken care of before you get your hopes up."

Brody raised an eyebrow. "Essentials huh?"

"Trust me, it'll only take a minute," he returned as she stepped up onto the running board and grabbed a hold of the clothes handle to help pull herself in.

* * *

Chris held the door open for her as they entered the bank and walked up to the security guard, flashing his badge. I'm a federal agent, and I'm carrying P228 that's holstered at my hip."

The security guard gave him a tight smile, "I'll need you to leave that with me while you conduct your business."

"I understand," Chris pulled the weapon from his holster and handed it to the man, muzzle first.

"Do you always carrying your weapon into a bank?" Brody asked tight lipped as they stepped up to the loan desk.

"Force of habit," LaSalle shrugged, taking a seat in one of the comfy chairs. They had just started speaking with the loan officer when two men wearing ski masks came through the front door, yielding assault rifles.

"Chris," Brody touched his arm as a third came in holding a silver canister the size of a thermos.

"This is a hold up. Throw your cell phones on the floor and get your hands up," The tallest of the trio announced.

LaSalle rolled his eyes before exchanging glances with Brody as he helped her to her feet.

"Are you kidding me?"

Brody looked at him as she tossed her phone aside and put her hands in the air. "So much for house hunting."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is the revised version of chapter 4.**

Brody quickly made a mental note of how many people were in the bank. There were three tellers, the loan officer and 7 customers not counting she and Chris.

"I counted eleven people," she said noting that Chris was intently focused on the assailant holding the silver canister. He'd seen this canister before on the murder board of their most recent vic and from Homeland Security watch sites. If his instinct was right, the Sarin had now made its way into the hands of local thieves.

He was about to say something to Brody when one of the gunmen called out to the other. "Hey Boss, this security guards got an extra weapon on him." The security guard briefly looked in LaSalle's direction and hung his head.

"Looks like we've got a cop amongst our presence," the leader sneered panning the crowd with a threatening weapon. "C'mon now, which one of you is it?"

A deafening silence filled the room as the man reached out and pressed a young woman with a child up against his chest.

"Mommy!" the toddler standing next to her cried grabbing his mother's leg.

The gunman continued to sneer as he brandished his weapon. "If you don't reveal yourself in the next 10 seconds, this lady here dies and then I'll just start dropping more bodies till there's no one left. One…two…"

Chris and Brody looked at each other.

Three…Four…

"It's me," Brody blurted out taking a step forward. "I'm a federal agent with NCIS" she added as LaSalle grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back, giving her the _what in the hell are you doing_ look.

He glared at her for several seconds, until he decided to step up. "Don't listen to her, I'm the federal agent and that's my gun." Chris motioned to the gold badge on his belt. " Like she said, I work for NCIS."

"WE work for NCIS," Brody clarified, not allowing Chris to take all of heat.

Once again he looked at her like she was out of her mind. What she thinking putting herself and their unborn baby on the line like that?

"A pregnant woman and a hick who work for NCIS. My, oh, my" the gunman holding the woman hostage chuckled. Grinning he pushed the frightened mother away and focused his attention on LaSalle.

"What part of the south you from, boy?"

"Bama," LaSalle answered keeping his hands up as the gunman strutted over to them.

Sneering, he pushed the tip of his weapon into the center of Brody's pregnant belly. "And what about you pretty lady? When ya due?"

Chris felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise up. "Put the gun down." He said as carefully as he could without revealing that he wanted to rip the man apart.

"Not until the little mother here answers the question."

Brody glanced at Chris, knowing what his next move would be if she didn't answer. "Four weeks from tomorrow."

"Well now, ain't that sweet." The gunman smiled at her before forcing his facial expression to change. "GET ON YOUR KNEES BOTH OF YOU!"

Chris helped a wobbly Brody to the floor, making sure she was out of harm's way before he started to kneel beside her. He kept thinking about the man with the silver canister in his hand. Unfortunately, for them their best option was to keep quiet and play nice for the moment.

"Not next to her, Alabama," the gunman said.

Chris remained the pillar of calm. "Ok, where do you want me?"

"Over there," the man with the big gun motioned.

Chris was pretty sure once he got the man far enough from Brody he could take him and maybe one of the others but the guy holding the canister. "What's in the Thermos?" he asked as the guy prodded him the back with the shotgun.

"Boy, you really are from Alabama if you believe that's a Thermos."

"Let me guess, biological warfare?" Chris paused for a moment. "You do know that if that canister leaks, we're all gonna die instantly. "

The slapped his hand down on Chris' shoulder. "Well, looky here, the boy from Alabama is pretty smart after all. I don't have to tell you that if you step out of line, the first person I'm gonna release it on is your lady friend over there."

"She's pregnant," Chris growled.

"And I'm assumin' it's your baby that she's carrying?"

At the man's direction, Chris laced his fingers behind his head. "Look, let her and the lady with the little boy go. Two less hostages isn't gunna make any difference to you."

"But it'll make a difference to you." The man hissed as one of the flunkies yelled out that the police had arrived. Chris knew it wouldn't be long before Pride arrived as well.

* * *

Across the room, Brody leaned up against the loan officer's desk and placed her hands on top of her stomach. Emily Cadence was kicking up a storm. Not that she could blame her child in waiting. The poor thing had probably sensed her mother's apprehension.

She watched as the man in charge, forced Chris to sit in front of the teller's window. He had separated them on purpose so that they wouldn't be able to communicate with each other. The other hostages were seated in the middle of floor, forced to sit with their knees pulled up to their chest.

The peel of a phone on the loan officer's desk caught her attention as well of the trembling woman beside her.

"Answer it!" one of the men barked.

The timid looking woman rose to her feet, answering the phone of the fourth ring. "They want to talk to the person in charge," she relayed in a shaky voice.

The man who had pointed the gun at her stomach crossed back toward her, yanking the phone from the other woman's hand.

"Yeah, this is Ronald Reagan." He gruffed, "But you can call me the Gipper."

Brody looked at Chris as Ronald Reagan began to make his demands. Instead of asking for the usual things, like an airplane or a helicopter he asked for something different. He wanted a whole truck load of stolen Sarin. The police had eight hours to find it.

"Sarin?" Brody mouthed to Chris as Ronald's hand suddenly clamped down around her forearm. Brody let out an unconscious yelp as he pulled her roughly to her feet.

"And the first person, I'm gonna kill if I don't get it is a pregnant federal agent!" Ronald yelled into the phone as Chris sprang to his feet, taking off in a dead run toward her. She could only watch as the second gunman stepped directly into Chris' path, his gun blazing, ready to fire.

"Chris!" Brody screamed as Ronald dropped the phone and pulled her tightly into his chest with his forearm secured tightly around her neck. Struggling, she elbowed Ronald in time with a whoosh of clear liquid falling from in between her legs.

Her water had just broke.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"What the hell?" Ronald loosened his grip as he felt something wet at his feet. This allowed Brody the opportunity to slip out of his grasp Using her shoulder, she rammed into the other gunman, causing his aim to be off. She knew it wasn't the smartest move being that she was officially in labor but all she could think about was Chris.

LaSalle dove to the side. He'd almost made it clear of the bullet but it winged his left bicep. Ignoring the sting in his arm he ran to Brody as she dropped to her knees clutching her stomach. The first round of contractions were hitting her hard.

"The baby..." She gasped as Chris' arms circled around her protectively. If they were going to kill Brody they were going to have to go through him first.

"It'll be ok" he breathed knowing that he had just told the biggest lie of his life. They were stuck between two gunmen who had rifles pointed directly at them. There seemed to be no way out of this.

"I oughta kill the both of you right now, " Ronald snarled inching closer.

Refusing to let go of Brody, Chris glared hard at his would be executioner, "Do it and I guarantee, you'll lose all of your leverage. SWAT will be all over you in less than 5 minutes."

"He's right, Ronald. Let's stick to the plan." The third gunman said from the back. LaSalle quickly made a mental note that the third gunman, the one holding the Sarin canister was female.

"I still oughta put a bullet in ya" Ronald hissed before lowering his weapon. The second gunman quickly followed suit. Chris breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down at Brody, noting a pained expression on her face. An unforgiving pain was radiating through her back.

"It's too early." Brody gritted her teeth as the contraction struck.

Emily wasn't due for another four weeks.

Chris glanced at his watch. He needed to start timing the the contractions. "I think I've got plan to get us out of this."

Brody's eyes narrowed as she stared up at him. "What plan?"

"You'll see." He replied gently sweeping at fallen hair from her forehead.

"Hey Ronald!" He called out. "I'll make a deal with ya."

Ronald looked curiously at the southern bred agent. "What kind of deal?"

"You let her go and I'll call my boss. He'll get you all the Sarin you want. " Chris knew enough about the Sarin case that he could bullshit his way through this and with any luck he could get Brody out before their daughter was born.

"I'm not leaving here without you." Brody grabbed a fist full of his shirt forcing his attention. What was he thinking? Making up random bullshit that would probably end up getting him killed. That was just unacceptable.

"Ya really want our daughter to born into this?"

Chris, you can't stay here," she countered as another contraction started to ripple through her. "I can't have her without you." Her fingernails dug into the flesh of forearm as the contraction hit its peak and then started to ease off.

Outside, Pride had already gathered along with Percy and Loretta when his cell phone came to life. "Talk to me, Christopher."

"The name's Ronald and if you want your agents back alive then I suggest you do exactly as I say."

Pride closed his eyes. "I won't do anything until you put agent LaSalle on the phone." He heard Ronald let out a groan followed by a few seconds of dead silence until Chris' voice finally came though the line.

"King"

Pride opened his eyes. "Are you and Brody all right?"

"Not exactly, Brody's water broke. She's in-" Ronald yanked the phone away before LaSalle could get the rest of his sentence out.

"There, your agents are fine but I can't guarantee they'll stay that way." Ronald sneered. "Agent LaSalle says you have knowledge about the location of the Sarin."

"I do but before I can get it to you I need to do something for me." Pride was a smooth negotiator, he wasn't able to persuade the terrorist to let Brody go but he was able to get him to agree to allow Loretta to temporarily join their little party.

Five minutes later Loretta was fitted with a com. It was ironic that she would now be on the opposite side given her recent stand off in the morgue with a gunman who had shot her foster son she thought as she tied a scarf around her head so that the com wouldn't be seen.

"You don't have to be the one to do this, " Pride told her as one of the gunmen opened the door. Just behind the glass the senior special agent could see another gunman holding his weapon to the security guards head.

"It's Christopher and Merri in there. I have to make certain our Goddaughter is safe." She gave Pride's hand a squeeze before making her way up the steps to her awaiting escort. Pride watched as the gunman patted her down and searched her bag before allowing the M.E. to enter.

Once inside Loretta made her way to the area where LaSalle and Brody were being sequestered away from the other hostages. Merri was sitting up again Chris' chest with his arms wrapped security around her.

Loretta slipped to her knees, which was no easy feat giving her dancing injury. "How are you doing Merri?" She asked as if were ordinary day.

"Hurts..."Brody replied through clenched teeth . "And my head..."

"The contractions are about 12 minutes apart." LaSalle supplied as Loretta opened her bag.

"Christopher, take off your jacket. I'm going to have to examine her." It wouldn't be much but Loretta would use his jacket as a privacy shield. As he slipped jacket from his shoulders Loretta was quick to notice the blood running down his left arm.

"You're bleeding" she said with concern earning Brody's attention

"What?" Brody rolled her pain filled eyes up at him hoping her efforts to save him weren't in vain "You were shot?"

"It's nothing" he returned running the pad of his thumb over cheek as Loretta looked at him with skepticism before beginning her examination. "You're at 5 centimeters," she added lifting up her head. "But I suspect that since your amniotic membranes have ruptured that you'll continue to dilate quickly."

"She's supposed to have cesarian section" Chris said, explaining that given that Merri had been shot her doctor thought one was needed to reduce the possibility of additional complications.

Loretta pulled her lips into a thin line as she pulled out her blood pressure cuff. Carefully she began to wrap the cuff around the expectant mother's arm before squeezing the bulb. When she was finished the M.E. let out a heavy sigh. "Her blood pressure is 160 over 140. We need to get her to a hospital immediately." Otherwise the pregnant agent would suffer a massive stroke. The only other alternative was to deliver the baby but Loretta wasn't equipped for that. Too many things could go wrong. They could lose both Brody and the baby.

Outside Pride started to pace. Chris was bleeding and both Brody and the baby were in jeopardy he needed to do something. Taking out his cell, he dialed LaSalle hoping the lead gunman still had his phone.

"New deal" Pride said when Ronald answered. "You need to release agent Brody along with Dr. Wade right now or no Sarin."

"And if I don't ?" The flippant gunman quipped.

"I will personally make certain that you and the rest of your crew are arrested and prosecuted under the Patriot Act. At that point you will have zero options."

Pride paused allowing Ronald to ponder the thought. "An effort of good faith on your end will go a along way."

"I'll tell you what. I'll give you your agent plus two more but Agent Alabama stays with me."

Pride hated to agree but at the moment Brody's issues were more pressing. He knew that Chris would prefer that Brody and their unborn daughter stay alive rather than attempting to bargain for his safety.

"This is going the need stitches" Loretta said as she did her best to tend to LaSalle's arm. As she she leaned into she ran her finger underneath her scarf revealing the com. Following her lead, Chris dipped his head and began to speak softly.

"There's a female gunman with a suspicious looking canister, currently standing on at the west side of the building. The canister is an exact match to the one we saw found next to our dead body."

"Loretta, tell him under no circumstances is he to engage." Pride's voice came back as the front doors opened and The senior agent appeared with his hands up. The plan was that Chris would literally hand Brody over to Pride.

"Dwayne says you are to stay put and learn things," Loretta whispered softly as she removed the com and slipped it to him.

Watching the gunmen, Chris quickly stuffed it into his pocket before scooping up Brody in his arms.

Winding her arms around his neck, she murmured something into his neck, almost too soft for him to hear.

I love you.

Chris grinned, as they started across the room with Loretta and the mother with toddler at their flank. "Why do you only say that when its a matter of life and death?"

Brody cupped his cheek, before sweeping a soft kiss over his rugged lips. "Just come back to me."

Chris returned her kiss before placing her in Pride's arms.

'I'll take good care of her, " the senior agent promised.

Chris nodded as they started to walk about the door with Loretta escorting the young mother and her child.

Chris was continued to watch Brody and Pride until he felt Ronald jam the muzzle of the rifle into his back.

"Get on your knees Alabama," Ronald ordered. "Lock your fingers behind your head."

"What?" Chris hadn't expected things to go down this way. Was Ronald really going to shoot him in front of Pride and Brody?

"On your knees," Ronald repeated intent on making the father to be an example of what was to come if Pride didn't hold up his end of the deal.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Pride held onto Brody a little tighter as he heard the gun go off in his com. As much as he wanted to put her down and start firing rounds into the bastard who had just shot at Chris he couldn't he had a promise to keep. He had to make sure that Brody and the baby were safe before he tried to retaliate.

Pride!" She choked in a half scream, half sob. "They're killing him! You have to do something!" Helpless, Brody watched as Chris dropped to his knees and then was bludgeoned in the back of head by the grip of the rifle. She wasn't sure what had happened next but it looked like Chris had tried to defend himself by grabbing the gun. It wasn't certain as to who had exactly had been shot but what she could see was that Chris was still on the ground and wasn't moving.

"Pride, you have to go back in there!" Brody begged as he handed her over to the awaiting EMTs.

"I will," he promised. "But first, I've got to get you out of here."

Stubbornly she shook her head as he set her on the gurney. "No! I'm not leaving without Chris!"

Pride grabbed her by the shoulders. "You have no choice in the matter!" he nodded to the EMT who then proceeded to place her into the back of the ambulance.

When he was certain that Brody was safe he walked over to Percy who had watched the scene unfold through a pair of thermal binoculars.

"What do you see, Sonja?" Percy lowered the binoculars. "It's hard to tell but LaSalle definitely is down. A couple of the other hostages just dragged him out of the doorway."

Pride swore softly under his breath as the phone at his hip began to vibrate. It was that scumbag, Ronald.

"Pride," he answered trying to marshal his thoughts as the terrorist came on the line.

"I see your effort of good faith and raise you a sense of urgency."

Pride clenched his fist. "If my agent dies-"

"That's entirely up to you." Ronald finished before ending the call.

Pride looked at Percy. "Get me in touch with the SWAT team commander. I'm going to hit this bastard with everything we've got."

* * *

Inside, Ronald looked at his buddies. "Are we ready?"

The female of the group opened up the duffle bag and removed three gas masks. "It's show time." Their plan was to release the Sarin on the hostages as the SWAT team came through door and then escape through a hidden exit in the vault.

The hope was that releasing the Sarin on so many people at one time would create a panic. There wouldn't be enough antidote in the local hospitals to treat them all. It was the plan of an underhanded pharmaceutical company to blackmail the government into making more life saving treatment for the deadly nerve gas.

A few feet away Chris blinked as he came to and realized he was handcuffed to a pole. His head hurt unmercifully from where he'd been struck with the gun. Gathering his bearings he listened intently as Ronald relayed the rest of his plan. LaSalle prayed that King was listening too.

The second gunman was standing right beside him. "You know just a gas mask won't protect you." Chris tossed out.

The gunman looked down at the bound agent. "Shut up!"

"Sarin is transdermal," Chris added. "It can be absorbed through your skin."

The gunman looked at Ronald. "That true?"

Ronald's answer came in the form of a bullet straight to the man's forehead. He then shifted his eyes toward Chris. "Since you seem to know so much about Sarin you can be the first one to go."

LaSalle said nothing as Ronald retrieved the canister from his female counterpart.

"You know it only takes one drop before it starts to destroy the respitory system, right?"

* * *

Sebastian was waiting in the labor and delivery suite when Loretta came in with Brody. "Where's LaSalle?"

Loretta pulled the forensic scientist aside.

"Christopher hasn't made it out yet. So until then we need try to keep Merri as calm as possible with positive thoughts." They needed to try to bring her blood pressure down before they tried to deliver the baby.

Brody had already dug her heels in about not having a C-section unless there was no other option. She was bound and determine to wait for Chris as long as possible. As soon as the nurses had her hooked up to the fetal monitor they called for anesthesiologist to assist in reducing her pain. She was now at 6 centimeters.

"Have you heard anything from Pride?" She asked closing her eyes as a wave of pain travelled through her mid region.

Loretta looked at Sebastian. It had only been twenty minutes. "No, I have not." She answered quietly.

Once the contraction ended Brody averted her gaze and turned on the television. Every news cast in the city was broadcasting the story about the Sarin hostage crisis. She was just about to turn up the volume when the anesthesiologist walked in. "Mrs. LaSalle?"

Brody felt a stab to her chest. She and Chris had never talked about marriage but suddenly there was nothing she wanted more. "My name is Brody. My baby's father is LaSalle."

The man's face turned red. "Oh, my apologizes."

"Why don't we step outside." Loretta touched Sebastian's arm as the anesthesiologist began to set up his tray.

"No stay," Brody swallowed. Suddenly, she couldn't fathom the thought of being alone not even for a second. The idea of losing Chris for good became more than she could handle at the moment. Large crocodile tears started to form on her lashes.

"I'm not going to lie to you, " the anesthesiologist began. "This first stick into your back will hurt." He then directed her sit in the edge of the bed with her feet hanging over the side.

"Why don't you lean into me?" Loretta suggested moving towards the overly emotional mother to be.

"You might want to put your head into Dr. Wade's shoulder, " the anesthesiologist suggested as he started to swab her back with betadine. First, he would give her a local anesthetic and then inject the medication for the epidural in her lower back.

Brody nodded as she mopped under eyes.

"Christopher loves you and this baby more than anything. " Loretta said softly taking the weeping agent into her arms.

"He's the love of my life," Brody hiccuped right before they heard a loud thud. The anesthesiologist stopped what he was doing prompting Loretta to turn her head slightly. Sebastian was lying on the floor.

"Oh my," she giggled. "Sebastian fainted." She should have known that the sight of the needle would be too much for the lovable lab geek. "I'm so sorry," she apologized "the boy can look at cadavers all day long but when it comes to needles he just crumbles."

Brody gave a small laugh as the procedure continued. Unknowingly, Sebastian had become the bright spot in her day.

"You should be numb in about 20 minutes." The anesthesiologist said as Loretta helped the laboring agent back into bed.

* * *

Regular contractions continued like clock work now occurring every 8 minutes. At her last check, Brody had dilated to a 7. "Loretta, can you please call Pride?" She asked as Loretta blotted her forehead and gave her ice chips.

"Certainly," Loretta returned as a fully recovered Sebastian appeared in the doorway, his hands shoved into his pockets. "There's no need to call Pride." He swallowed, his voice heavy with emotion. " He's right here."

Pride stepped into doorway, his facial expression giving everything away. "Brody"

No matter how hard she tried Brody couldn't keep her voice from cracking. "He's dead isn't he?"

Pride moved closer to her. "No, but you're going to have to hang in there in a little longer." He said as gently as he could. "He's downstairs getting his arm stitched up."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I want to take a moment and thank my guest reviewers for their lovely comments as well as my signed reviewers. Your words mean a lot to me.**

Loretta eyed Sebastian as Pride continued to reassure an anxious looking Brody. There was something about the lab geek's mannerisms that told her all was not as it seemed.

"Sebastian, a word please," Loretta motioned him into the hall.

"Why so glum?" She asked watching her lovable lab partner hang his head.

"I promised Agent Pride I wouldn't say anything." He'd been sworn to secrecy.

Loretta crossed her arms over chest raising an eyebrow, causing Sebastian to instantly crack. He knew that look. It was one that he could not escape. "Agent LaSalle was exposed to the Sarin."

"And they don't want Merri to know," Loretta placed her hands over her mouth processing the thought. Christopher would want Pride to protect the baby rather than to put Brody in more distress.

"Do they know the severity of it?" The amount and length of exposure were critical elements in treating people who had been exposed. A mild exposure could be treated with a viable outcomes but a massive exposure usually ensured death.

* * *

"I got here as fast as I could." Abigail Borin ran a hand down Pride's back prompting him to invite her into the fold of a one arm embrace. "How's LaSalle?"

"He's having trouble breathing."

Borin frowned as she wrapped her arm around his waist, "Did you at least get the bastard?"

Pride nodded as he watched doctors and nurses in protective clothing start to buzz around Chris.

* * *

 _Now LaSalle understood why he was handcuffed to the pole. He was about to be sacrificed._

 _"_ _Did you know this shit can be mixed with water?" Ronald sneered as he removed the cap to the canister to reveal an aerosol pump._

 _That's why he only had a gas mask. Chris concluded. His plan was spray each hostage individually with a gun pointed to their heads. He would then wait until they started showing symptoms before moving on. Pretty sadistic in the agent's opinion._

 _Chris heard movement on the roof, as Ronald knelt down to his level._

 _"_ _Any last words, Alabama?"_

 _"Yeah,You're about to go_ _hell!" Chris turned his head as Ronald pressed down on the pump in time with the sound of breaking glass. The SWAT team repelled in through the skylights throwing Ronald and his teammate off guard._

 _Agents and members of the CDC wearing hazmat suits rushed in ready to treat everyone who was within 25 feet of the deadly canister._

 _Chris started to cough as Pride and Percy appeared at his side. The Sarin was already starting to choke the life out of him._

 _"_ _Get him out these handcuffs," Pride ordered._

 _"_ _On it," Percy returned, working at Chris' back._

 _Pride placed his gloved hands on Chris' shoulders. "Where did he get you?"_

 _"_ _Chest, neck mostly," LaSalle wheezed._

 _"_ _Get his shirt off of him and get him into the tank now!" Pride barked as two CDC workers came to assist._

 _Chris hissed as one of the workers stuck a syringe into the back of his arm. The syringe was filled saradoxin a known antidote for the world's most deadliest nerve agent._

 _Pride and Percy stood by helpless as the CDC took LaSalle's clothing and put him into a mobile spray tank before placing him into the back of an ambulance._

* * *

"Christopher and Brody, they don't deserve this." Pride said angrily as Loretta came up to their flank.

"Dwayne, Merri is asking about Christopher. I need to tell her something." The facade of stitches would only work for so long.

"I'll go talk to her." Pride said somber. Not that he wanted Chris to miss the big event but he'd hoped that Brody would have given birth by now. "One of you, stay with Christopher."

* * *

"It won't be long now," a nurse smiled. "You're at 9 centimeters."

Brody closed her eyes as a horrendous contraction struck. Blessedly, she was numb from the waist down and could only feel the moderate twinge in her stomach and back. Before she opened her eyes she felt a familiar hand touch her shoulder.

It was Pride.

"You look tired." He smiled as she opened her weary looking eyes to him. "You know Linda was in hard labor with Laurel for 18 hours."

Brody offered him a slight smile. The fact that he'd shown up without Chris told her there was more to everything than he was letting on.

"Why is it so cold in here?" he asked trying to buy more time.

Brody took in a breath as the next contraction started to mount. "The nurses said it'll help keep my blood pressure down."

"But you're freezing," Pride saw that she had goose pimples on her arms and reached for the blanket at the end of the bed. He waited for the contraction to pass before settling down beside her.

"He isn't coming is he?" Brody's heart began to hammer as a mournful look clouded over his face. He had tried everything he could think of to spare her from this moment.

"Chris is-"

"Right here," LaSalle answered leaning up against the door jam, looking whiter than Brody's bed sheets. Loretta scooted around the pale agent, a large grin on her face.

"Dr. Gonzales says he's all clear." The truth was it had taken a lot of effort on Loretta's part, and some threats on LaSalle's end to get the doctor to agree that the only real danger that now existed was to Chris himself.

Pride looked heavenward, mouthing a silent thank-you before pushing to his feet and walking over to the father-to-be. "I'll let you take it from here." He grinned, extending his hand and pulling his surrogate son into a man style hug.

Chris waited for the room to clear before sinking down next to Brody and brushing her lips with a heartfelt kiss.

"You're really here." She breathed winding her arms around his neck. She held onto him for several minutes until the next contraction pulled them apart. Together they watched the peak as it spiked up onto the monitor.

"Can ya feel that?" LaSalle's eyes widened as it stated to level off.

"A little," Merri confessed as he sank to her side. She was more concerned about him. He looked like hell and to top everything off he was wearing scrubs. "But how are you here?"

"You don't want to know." He grinned hoping to save the story for later.

Brody looked at the stitches in his arm and the ones above his eyebrow. The pallor to his face was scaring the hell out of her. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Can I get ya anything?" He asked as she leaned back against the pillow trying to spare herself from the raging headache that had formed as a result from the epidural.

She gave his hand a squeeze, "actually you can."

"Name it, anything ya want."

"I want you to marry me." She said as another contraction took hold.

"Excuse me?" Chris looked at her bewildered as she relaxed slightly. Aside from having a baby and wanting to buy a house together they had never verbally defined their relationship. In fact, she had been keeping him at arms lengths for months now.

"I want to be Mrs. Christopher LaSalle," she breathed, tired as the contraction passed.

"You do, huh?" Chris lowered his eyes, a smile sliding across his face. It seemed a bit unconventional considering that she had only uttered the words _I love you_ twice, but deep down, he knew how she felt. Once you peeled away the intense need for privacy and the need to keep people at arm's length there was a woman who loved him with all of her heart.

"I love you, Chr-" the rest of her words were cut off as the mother of all contractions hit forming a strong urge to push.

"Argh," Suddenly the pain was much more noticeable now.

Chris immediately called the nurse who appeared with the doctor who immediately confirmed that Emily's head was beginning to crown. Quickly, the birthing tray was set up as the doctor pulled on a set of gloves and sat at the foot of the bed.

"You can push when you feel the next contraction."

The nurse looked at LaSalle. "Ok, Dad, here's what I need you to do. You're going to hold her leg back, and Dr. Wade will hold the other one. Then when the baby's out you can cut the cord. "

"Push hard, Merri! The nurse coaxed, as the whole head came into view. " Here she comes!" There was a slight pause as they waited for next contraction giving LaSalle a moment to look down, getting his first actual glimpse of their daughter.

"She's got dark hair like you!" he grinned over his shoulder.

Brody tried to smile at him but it was lost on the contraction and the need to push.

"The shoulders are almost there! You can do this!" the doctor said as Chris moved to the head of the head of bed, taking a hold of Brody's hand.

Brody shook her head as the realization that she was actually going to be a mother set in. "I can't…"

"Yes, you can," Chris swept a kiss over her forehead. "You're super Brody, remember?"

Super Body, she snorted quietly. Chris had called her that that on one of their very first cases together after watching her take down a man in a bar.

"One more good push, Merri," Loretta chimed in as the nurse monitoring Brody's vitals made a note of concern. Her blood pressure is starting to spike again. 140/100.

"We need to get this baby out quickly." The doctor countered, debating on the use of forceps.

Bearing down Brody pushed for all that it was worth, tensing her facial muscles and gritting her teeth. She felt like her whole body was being torn apart until a cry was heard throughout the birthing suite as Emily Cadence announced her arrival into the world.

Brody pushed her head back into pillow as she delivered the placenta and the doctor began to repair a small tear. She was still breathing hard when Chris cut the cord and placed their daughter into her arms. The baby that would save them both from the grief over their lost siblings was finally here.

 **A/N: Now about that wedding. Do you think I can actually get them to the altar, unscathed?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry to make y'all wait. I have been on vacation with limited Internet access.** **As usual, I have a few twists and turns before our lovebirds make it to the altar. Thank you all for the kind comments and the new alerts.**

"Blue eyes," Brody smiled tiredly, cradling her newborn in daughter in her arms. Well at least her eyes had the appearance that they were going to be blue. It would take about 3 months before they would know for sure but they were betting on blue.

Chris swept a kiss over her dry lips, "she's beautiful just like her mother."

Brody looked up at him and lifted her chin for a better kiss. Afterwards, Chris cuddled up next to her as she started to nurse. Brody was a natural he thought as Emily automatically seemed to know how to latch on. When she was finished, a nurse smiled warmly at them.

"Dad, do you want to come down to the nursery and help give her a bath?"

Chris looked at Brody expectantly as if he had to ask for permission.

"Go," she laughed, kissing him.

* * *

Two hours later, after Emily had been fed, bathed and checked out by the pediatrician; Chris sat with his face in his hands outside of Brody's room. He'd stepped out to allow her to visit with the lactation specialist.

You need anything, LaSalle ? Percy said touching his shoulder.  
LaSalle looked up at her with hazy looking irises. He still wasn't still one hundred percent from his own bout of poisoning and at the moment it was kicking his ass.

"Yeah, he said, straightening. Can ya take me to that jewelry store you're always talking about, the one that has the guy's name? Normally, he would drive himself but one of the drawbacks from being exposed to Sarin was no operating a motorized vehicle until you received a doctor's approval and given that he'd checked himself out AMA and was still suffering from some mild side effects, he decided it best not to chance it.

"You got it," she replied reaching for his hand. "But first we need to do something about getting you some clothes." He was still wearing the scrubs he'd been given in the ER. After she had cleaned him up and had him looking more like himself, she drove him to the galleria of jewelry stores.

"What kind of ring are you looking for?" a salesperson asked when they walked into the store.

Chris opened his mouth to speak, but Percy beat him to it.

A half-carat or larger, brilliant cut, with a white gold band and nothing too blingy on the side."

Immediately, Chris pinned her with a steely gaze. What in the hell was she doing?

"What?" Percy looked at him like it was common place for the sidekick to just up and take control of his ring buying situation. "I'm just getting the ball rolling."

Chris rolled his eyes before turning his attention to the sales woman. "What she said."

The saleswoman smiled at them tightly. "And what grade of diamond were you thinking of?"

"A grade F or higher," Percy answered, "that way we don't wind up with nothin' yellow."

Chris smiled at her, "You really know your stuff."

"Let's just say I've been around the block a time or two and leave it at that."

LaSalle raised an eyebrow. "Someone break your heart, Percy?"

"Ahem," It was obvious that the saleswoman was growing impatient.

* * *

Loretta was waiting in Brody's room when Chris returned.

"Where's Brody?" he asked noting the bed was empty.

Loretta dropped her eyes before rising to her feet. "There's been a complication. Merri began to bleed out. They had to take her into surgery."

Chris averted his eyes, shaking his head. It seemed like they just couldn't catch a break. "How bad is it?"

"Dr. Bryant, believes that she suffered something that is known as an amniotic embolism.

It's quite rare-"

Chris did a double take. "A what?"

"It's where amniotic fluid gets into the bloodstream during the delivery. It's very serious." It probably had something to do with the fact that Brody had to wait so long after her water broke to get medical treatment, but Loretta couldn't sure. Amniotic embolisms were one of those things that were unpreventable with devastating consequences.

Chris put his hands on his hips. "How serious?"

Loretta explained that the tainted amniotic fluid poisoned her system, causing a massive hemorrhage. "In most cases, they have to perform a hysterectomy in order to save the patient."

Chris blew out a tense breath, trying to process the thought of Brody not being able to have any more children. He wondered how she would take it. He had always wanted a whole houseful of screaming kids but at the moment the only thing that mattered was Brody life. He'd rather had just the one and spend eternity with her, than to have a whole basketball team full with someone else.

"Where's Emily?" he asked needing an outlet.

"She's in the nursery."

* * *

For next couple of hours he sat in a rocking chair as his beautiful baby girl slept in arms, swaddled in pink blanket and matching hat. Pinched between his thumb and his forefinger was the engagement ring he'd bought: a beautiful one carat diamond solitaire. As soon as he able he was going to put it on Brody's finger and pray that she would never take it off. He knew he couldn't do anything about whether or not she would be able to have more children but he could fulfill her request and marry her. He so caught up in his own thoughts he almost missed the familiar drawl calling his name.

"Chris?"

"Savannah, what are you doin' here?" The tall vibrant red-head stood smiling down at him.

"I heard about you and Merri being caught up in the bank robbery and I thought I could help," she moved closer to him. "Oh my goodness is this-"

"This is Emily." Chris said proudly.

"She's beautiful," Savannah cooed, brushing her index finger across Emily's cheek. "How's Merri?"

Chris lowered his head gazing down at Emily. "There were some complications. She's in surgery. Doc Wade says it pretty serious."

Savannah's face fell." I'm so sorry. Is there anything I do?" she asked as his head popped back up.

"Yeah, you can give me a divorce."

Savannah grinned a large formidable smile. The two had been had married on a whim in Alabama while Chris was drowning his sorrows over losing Cade. Somehow they'd been reminded of how Cade had wanted to them to give him nieces and nephews. What had started out as a joke had ended up in drunken nuptials followed by a free for all in an off the beaten path hotel room. The hotel room, where he had left her to come back at home at Pride's beckon call and the reveal of Brody's pregnancy.

Savannah bit down on her lip. She was surprised that he even remembered, what with being so caught up with losing Cade and then Brody suddenly announcing she was pregnant. "I've been wondering when you were going to get around to that."

"Well?" he asked as a nurse started to approach him.

"Mr. LaSalle, they just brought Ms. Brody down to recovery. She came through the surgery with flying colors. You can see her if you'd like."

Rising to his feet, he handed Emily to the nurse, never taking his eyes off of Savannah. "As soon as Brody gets better you and I are going to finish this conversation."

"That ring for Brody?" Savannah smirked watching as he shoved the white gold solitaire into his pocket. Predictably, she was irked by his tone.

"Don't start," he said in a heated whisper.

"You might just want to wait until we're divorced before puttin' it on her finger." Savannah countered as he stalked from the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Glad everyone liked my little twist with Savannah. I actually liked the character for 1-2 season girlfriend for LaSalle and kind of wish she would have stuck around for a bit longer, but alas that was not meant to be so I've gone off and made her a villain. LOL. Lots of sweet and disgusting lovey dovey things in this chapter.**

 **As always thank you for the lovely reviews and new alerts, they really do help to inspire the muse. ;)**

Chris listened intently as Dr. Bryant explained that they were able to repair the damage from the embolism with moderate success. They had prevented the embolism from damaging her heart and her brain. As a general rule, amniotic embolisms were considered deadly and usually left the patient with devastating consequences. "Overall, Merri was very lucky. Right now we have her on an arterial catheter to monitor both her heart rate and her blood pressure which will have to stay in place for the next couple of days. As far as the rest we'll have to wait and see."

"You're talking about having more children?"

"I won't lie to you, Agent LaSalle, it will be difficult to say the least." But not necessarily impossible, only time would tell how much scar tissue would affect their ability to conceive.

Chris nodded. He could live with that for now. "Can I see her?"

"She hasn't come around yet but sure," Dr. Bryant gave his arm a squeeze before she led him into the recovery suite. Brody was still heavy with anesthesia, and probably wouldn't wake up for another hour or so.

Chris stood there for a moment before fishing the ring from his pocket, Savannah's words weighing heavily on his mind. At some point, he remembered something about a marriage certificate coming in the mail. He should have taken care of their _so called marriage_ months ago, but he'd been too busy trying to deal with Cade's death and the idea of having a baby. It didn't matter though; he was still going to give Brody the ring. How could he not? After she got out of the hospital and was settled he'd tell her about his drunken nuptials and pray to the Almighty up above that she would forgive him.

Lowering the bed railing, Chris took a hold of her hand. "I'll give you a real proposal later, but given all that we've been through today, I really want ya to have this." Gently, he slid the ring on her finger hoping it was the right size.

"I love you, Meredith Brody and I would be honored if you would be my wife." he said softly before kissing her forehead.

Chris debated about staying, but it was almost time to feed Emily again. He knew the nurses could do it but thought Brody would prefer it be him. When he got back to the nursery, he found Savannah sitting in the rocking chair he'd vacated. Emily was lying pressed up against her shoulder.

"She eats a lot for a newborn," Savannah grinned in her usual cherry drawl.

"You fed my daughter?" Chris gave the nurse standing beside him a murderous look.

"She said she's your wife." The woman swallowed. "Her driver's license says LaSalle. I checked it myself. She even showed me a copy of your marriage license." The nurse had gone so far as to issue an armband that matched LaSalle's and Brody's.

"Now, Christopher," Savannah said in a formidable tone. "Emily is technically my step-daughter and you know I how much I already adore her."

Chris felt more than a few choice words gather on his tongue but marshaled his rage. "Give her to me, NOW!"

Figuring her point had been made; Savannah rose to her feet and gently handed over the newborn.

Chris' upper lip began to curl. "If you come near her again I'll have your ass thrown in jail."

"For what?" Savannah sneered. "Lovin' my husband's, child?" she then turned to the nurse. "He cheated on me and got his partner knocked up. We're trying to work it out." She said smugly before seeing her way out.

After that, Chris decided to keep Emily in the room. He had Loretta arrange for him to keep in an isolette in the ICU so that he could be close to Brody. Dr. Bryant said that if Brody had a good night that she could return to a regular room in the morning with any luck she would be able to go home by the end of the week.

* * *

"I had a dream that you proposed and when I woke up this was on my finger," Brody said groggily, lifting her left hand to him.

Chris leaned over and kissed her softly. "Ain't no dream." he said into her lips.

"It's beautiful," she smiled as he kissed her again before pulling up a chair.

Brody closed her eyes and swallowed as his hand fell into her hair. "How's Emily?"

"She's sleepin.'" The nurses had given her a pacifier to help her self sooth so that the exhausted and banged up couple could manage to spend some time together. But given that she was newborn their quality time probably wouldn't last long.

Brody opened her eyes. "Can you believe, she was almost born in a bank?"

Chris shook his head, his trademark grin spreading to his face,. Their adventures never ceased to amaze him. "Sure as hell never thought we'd end here."

Her brow furrowed. "In the hospital?"

"Engaged," he grinned.

Brody gave him a small smile, recalling the night of Cade's funeral when he'd showed up her door looking broken and lost. "I tried so hard not to give in but then you came on to me with that lost little boy grin-"

"I was pretty messed up then." He returned as a tiny little whimper from the isolette commanded his attention. "You wanna hold her?"

Brody hissed as she pressed upward with her palms, causing her stitches and catheter to pull. "Give her to me."

"Easy now," Chris set Emily into her awaiting arms. "Ya up to feeding her?" he asked, already heading back to the isolette for a bottle of ready-made formula. He twisted off the cap and handed it back to Brody.

"So, when do you want to do it?" Brody asked as Emily started to greedily guzzle the bottle.

"Excuse me?" Chris' eyes went wide for a moment. His mind was focused on Savannah and he completely missed what Merri had said.

"Get married," she laughed as the door swung open and Pride, Loretta, Percy and Sebastian appeared with a bouquet of flowers, a huge diaper cake, a gift bag filled with assorted baby items, and a handmade quilt.

"It's not much but it's all we could pull together, since little Miss Emily decided to come early." Loretta smiled as she leaned over and kissed Brody and the cheek. "May I?"

"Of course."

"She's absolutely gorgeous," Loretta breathed as everyone stood around in awe.

After she had said her congratulations Percy leaned into LaSalle. "I saw the Mermaid, lurking downstairs. She looked like she was out for blood for or something. Is there something going on between the two of you?"

"Nothing I can't take care of, "Chris growled as Percy noticed the ring on Brody's finger.

"Can't believe you actually proposed in the hospital," she tossed out within ear shot of Loretta.

"Proposed?" Loretta looked back at Chris and then to Merri.

"We're getting married!" Brody squealed showing off the ring as congratulations and hugs were given all around.

"When?" Sebastian asked. All eyes fell upon Chris and Brody as they stared at each other.

"Don't know yet," Chris answered quickly, hoping that no one picked up on the _oh shit_ look that was plastered across his face. Thankfully, Pride saw fit to step in and clapped the loveable lab geek on the shoulder.

"Give them some time Sebastian, they've already had a pretty a exciting day and probably aren't up to making any more big decisions."

If that wasn't the truth Chris swallowed feeling his gut twist as Pride averted his eyes.

"Christopher, a word in the hall, please."

"Ooooh! Somebody's in trouble!" Percy quipped as the two men stepped outside, pulling the door closed.

* * *

"Yeah?" Chris looked Pride expectantly as the older man rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't much for expressing his feelings but there times when the two shared a father-son moment and this was about to be one of them.

"Married with a baby" Pride grinned, beating around the bush. "There was a time when I never thought I'd live to see the day. You've come along way since the days of Hurricane Katrina."

"Yes, sir."

"Listen Chris, I talked to Linda and she and I both agree, we want you and Brody to have the house."

Chris shook his head. "I can't take your house, King."

Pride let out a long sigh. "The truth is Linda and I can't bear the thought of sellin' it. So, this is my way of trying to keep in the family. " There were just too many memories. "And we thought if you'd agree to live in it until you and Brody find a nice place of your own, well then maybe Laurel will want it one day."

Chris bit down on his lip. He knew his place would be hard to sell, given that Cade had died there under unusual circumstances so maybe this would be a temporary solution until something could be worked out.

"Ok," he said, as King slapped his shoulder and pulled him to a man style hug in time with Savannah appearing at the end of the hallway. For several seconds, Chris glared at her heatedly until he and Pride consented to going back into the room.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: To Guest, Guest, and Guest: I'm so glad that you enjoyed the proposal and the twist with Savannah. Sorry to make you wait, my usual turn around on adding new chapters is about a week. Savannah: Always glad to hear from you. Hope you don't mind that your namesake is stirring up all kinds of trouble. ;)**

It was a little after four in the morning when the infant cries of Emily Cadence began to surround the walls of Loretta's guest house. Emily may have been born 4 weeks early but one thing was certain she had a healthy set of lungs.

"It's your turn," Brody said sleepily as she turned into Chris.

"Right on time," Chris dropped a kiss to Brody's forehead before climbing out of bed.

Emily had established a two and a half hour feeding pattern which kept them up for most of the night. By the time they had fed and changed her it was almost time to get up again. But LaSalle didn't mind. He enjoyed taking of Brody and their daughter.

Brody was three weeks post-surgery and had at least another three weeks to go before she could lift anything over five pounds so that meant the majority of the time Chris had to fetch Emily. Breast feeding was difficult for Brody since she had been on a host of medications following the surgery, so for the most part Emily was primarily bottle fed.

Chris walked into the kitchen and took the bottle out of the refrigerator before placing it into the warmer and then went to go get Emily. After he had fed and changed her he deposited himself on the couch and turned on the television deciding to take the next two hour stretch so that Brody could sleep without being disturbed.

Finding nothing he deemed appropriate, he flipped to the Golf Channel where he caught a rerun of the most recent Master's Tournament. "What do you say, Ladybug? You wanna watch some golf?" He gently bounced Emily as she lay up on his shoulder, happily suckling on her pacifier.

* * *

Brody finally emerged from the bedroom at 8:30 to find LaSalle passed out on the couch with Emily sleeping on his chest. She was about to wake him and send him off to bed when his phone beeped. No doubt, it was work. Probably another dead body that needed to be processed and a new case that needed to be solved.

Brody picked up his phone and read the text as Chris started to stir. "It's Pride. He's says he has more on the Sarin case."

"Tell him, I'll be right there." Chris stretched gingerly as not to disturb Emily. "You wanna take her?"

"Put her in the bouncer," Brody smiled hoping to get a cup of coffee in before her motherly duties kicked in again. She loved being a mother to Emily but what she loved more was watching Chris play the part of Dad. He was so good at it. Not, that she didn't think he wouldn't be, given the amount of time he spent at the Children's hospital. But there was something about him, fatherhood seemed to come to him almost naturally to the thirty-two year old agent.

After placing Emily in the bouncer, Chris walked over to Brody and gave her a couple of quick pecks.

"Go shower," she told him, punctuating her words with kisses. "I'll have coffee ready to go when you get out."

For several moments, she stood there listening for the sound of the water and when she was certain that he was showering she walked over to the built-in that housed the TV and pulled out the photo album that James had made for her and inserted the last picture. It was one of the three them that Loretta had taken the day they brought Emily home from the hospital. Now the album was complete.

Listening for Chris, Brody expertly dressed the album in a pink ribbon and matching bow and then set it next to his travel mug; along with a picture of Emily's footprint and the words _We love you_.

"What's this?" Chris looked surprised when he came back out the kitchen to find the album sitting there.

"Just a little something for being such a great dad and future husband," Brody pressed to her tiptoes and kissed him.

Chris closed his eyes and sighed returning the kiss in full. He wished he didn't have to go work. Now that Brody was feeling better her affection towards him was starting to show again and he liked that. "I'll try to be back as soon as I can." He said tugging at the front of her robe as she started to break away.

"Go," she laughed, as he kissed her again. "You're going to be late."

Chris kissed Emily on the forehead before scooping up the album and his coffee mug.

Brody walked with him to the door and ran her hand down his back as he stepped out on the porch. "Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah?" he called back over his shoulder.

"What do you think of August 28th?"

He looked at her confused. "What happens on August 28th?"

Brody laughed, playing his confusion off as sleep deprivation. "Hopefully our wedding that is of course unless you have something else planned."

August 28th. That wouldn't give him much time to take care of his situation with Savannah but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try.

"I'll have to let you know when I get back," he grinned in time with his phone ringing at his hip. "I gotta take this."

* * *

 **Adult Mental Health Services**

"Sign 'em, now," LaSalle slapped a packet of divorce papers onto Savannah's desk. It had taken a favor from a judge and the promise of his second born child to have them drawn up so quickly but now all he needed was Savannah's signature and a speedy processor and it would be done.

Savannah picked up the paperwork and glanced at it unimpressed. "No."

LaSalle's face twisted in a mixture of hatred and disgust. Savannah had once been a very kind and loving person but now he didn't know who she was or where her overall spitefulness was stemming. Well, in all honesty he did. He'd screwed her over and now she was making him pay for it.

"Why?"

Savannah pushed the paperwork back towards him. "Because Cade wanted you and I to have babies together and I want to do the best I can to honor his wishes."

Seriously? LaSalle had to bite his lip to keep from going bat crazy all over her. Yes, it was true Cade had told her that one day he wanted his baby brother to have children with Savannah but that was when he thought she was the one who had gotten away. Cade had never known Chris to be in love with anyone else if he had any idea about Brody he would have been elated for his baby brother.

Chris' eyes narrowed. "You didn't care about Cade."

"That's not true, Cade was my patient. I cared about him very much," Savannah shot back. LaSalle watched her as she circled around the desk and reached for his hand. "But more importantly, I care about you. I love you, and I know we can get past this."

LaSalle nearly laughed out aloud as he pulled his hand from hers. She was delusional. Keeping his anger in check, he spoke very calmly. Like Savannah, he was trained in the art of negotiation and he would treat her like a suspect who needed talking down from the ledge.

"You know that I am in love with Brody and that we have a child together. Why would you think that there's any hope of us working things out?" He didn't want to use the words _I don't love you anymore_ because that would be cruel but he would if she continued to push his hand.

Savannah clicked her cheek disapprovingly. "Does Brody even know we're married?"

"That's not your concern," Chris returned darkly.

Humph. Savannah made a noise that reflected sarcasm. "You, Chris LaSalle, are playing with fire."

Chris palmed the desk, before pushing the papers back in her direction. "Just sign the papers."

Not that it matter. He didn't really need her signature; it would just take longer without it.

"You know that if I don't sign these, the judge will make us attend us counseling." Savannah retorted smugly. "Could take months, maybe even a year or two."

Chris dipped his head. There was one thing about Savannah she knew how to play the system.

Savannah watched as his head popped back up and the veins in his neck began to bulge. She also knew that he had a temper that he kept buried most of the time, but it was most definitely there and at the moment his facial expression said he was pissed.

Walk away, just walk away a little voice inside of his head kept repeating as his jaw clenched and his lips pursed. Marshaling his rage, he did an about face and headed for the door, slamming it behind him.

Percy was waiting for him in the hall. "So you gonna tell me, what's up between you and the mermaid?" she asked following in line with his step.

"Nope," he seethed, heading for the truck.

* * *

Percy purposely waited until he opened up the door and climbed into the cab before deciding to call him out on his little secret. "You do know that divorce petitions are published in the paper and online, right? They were apart of the open and public records act and by law in the state of Louisiana were required to be published.

Chris glared at her as she slid into the passenger. "Since when do you read the paper?"

Percy shrugged, nonchalantly. "Since I decided to go fishin.'"

"Fishin,'" LaSalle repeated. "Is that what you call snooping around in other people's business?"

"I prefer the term, lookin' out for my family," Percy returned coolly. "Does Pride know?"

Chris gave a shrug of his own. "Now, I guess that would depend if he still reads the paper."

"And what about Brody?"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sigh, I know this update is long overdue but for those who haven't forgotten about this one and have been waiting to see how Chris gets out of his so called marriage to Savannah, here ya go.**

Merri Brody placed a light receiving blanket over the handle of the car seat as she entered the restaurant. Emily was still a little too young to be frequenting public places but at the moment she didn't have a choice. She'd seen the newspaper that had mysteriously appeared on her front porch and she was pissed. No doubt a certain _sea hag_ as she had coined, the one that Percy referred to as the mermaid had her reeling. Newborn baby daughter and stitches aside, she was going to put Chris' so called wife in her place and end this charade of a marriage once and for all.

Savannah was all smiles as Brody placed Emily's car seat at the table and took a seat. "Merri, I was so surprised to get your call."

"Save it," Brody hissed as she removed the paper from the diaper bag and slid it towards the vengeful, conniving redhead.

Savannah smirked as she looked down the newsprint where the divorce petition with her name on it had been circled in big red letters. "So, you know."

Brody formed a smirk of her own. "I've known since the night Chris came home from Alabama." He'd come clean with her right after she announced that she was pregnant with Emily. As long as she was going to be pissed at him for sleeping with the redhead, she might as well know the entire story before they started down the road to parenthood together. What he'd failed to do was end the nuptials quickly. Too much time had passed now for them to ask for an annulment. He had intended to but a well placed bullet in Brody's stomach from one of Savannah's unstable clients had gotten in the way.

Savannah chewed her lip. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Say that you will let him go and walk away from this so that both you and Chris can finally heal." Brody returned as Emily began to fuss. Expertly, she pulled a bottle out of the bag and undid the buckle to the car seat, placing her infant daughter in her lap.

Savannah actually felt badly about her behavior when it came to Brody. The woman had selflessly saved her life and by doing so had put her pregnancy at risk Chris' child to be exact.

"The day I was shot, you asked me if I loved Chris and the answer is absolutely. I couldn't answer you that day because I was still conflicted, but now I know for sure. He's the only person I want to be with."

Savannah pursed her lips. She wasn't quite done with LaSalle for hurting her but she did owe Brody for saving her life. "Did he send you with the papers?"

"He has no clue that I'm here." Brody gently removed the empty bottle from Emily's mouth and placed the infant over her shoulder. Divorce papers were news to her, she had been so busy being a mom to Emily and recovering from her tumultuous delivery that it never crossed her mind to ask Chris if he'd taken care of it before he'd placed a new shiny engagement ring her finger.

"Send the papers over to my office in the morning, and I'll sign them." Savannah said as she pushed to her feet. "But for the record, all I ever wanted from him was an apology."

Brody nodded slightly as she shifted Emily into the cradle of her arms. She had made her peace with Chris' actions, chalking it all up to his grief. But as hard as she tried she couldn't absolve him from the complete responsibility. He'd been careless and insensitive to his former childhood sweetheart.

"I'll talk to him." She said, never taking her eyes off of Emily as Savannah rose to her feet, gathering up her purse.

The redhead took exactly one step before verbalizing one last thought. "If the situation had been reserved (if she'd become pregnant instead of Brody) would you have just walked away and let him go?"

It was a valid question and one that Brody felt deserved an answer. "I don't know." At the moment she couldn't fathom letting Chris go no matter the reason. She loved him so much it hurt to think about it, especially when she threw in the more chaotic aspects of their lives. But nine months ago, right after Cade had died? Things might have turned out drastically different if Savannah had wound up the one being pregnant.

Intense green eyes stared at her, burning a hole right into her soul. This other woman, the one that she wanted to hate had managed to make her feel empathic, if not a little guilty in fact. In one way or another the course of their lives had been changed by Cade's death; a death and few reactive responses and just like that they'd all been thrown onto different paths. Fate certainly had a rather twisted way of putting her and Chris together at Savannah's expense.

* * *

By the time moving day came, Brody was more than ready to get out of Chris two bedroom garden style home in the Quarter. No more loud musicians outside the window to disturb Emily from a sound night's sleep, no more loud party goers and no more having to watch Chris stare at the spot between the living room and the kitchen where Cade had died. It would still be a while before they would be able to sell but at least they'd been able to find renters who didn't seem to mind that they were getting a place that had once been a crime scene.

"So you ready to do this?" Brody asked as she came up behind LaSalle, sliding her arms around him.

Chris turned into her, deftly kissing her pale lips. It was a rare occasion that his wife-to-be decided to go all natural, face scrubbed free, not one stitch of make-up with a Rosie the Riveter bandana tied around her head. If nothing else she looked like she was ready to lift the dozens of moving boxes that now held all of their worldly processions.

"Move into Pride's house?" he asked, eyebrows raised and a crinkle in his forehead. The idea of moving into his best friend's house where he and Linda had spent both the best and worst years of their marriage still made him feel a little uncomfortable, not that that he was one to look a gift horse in the mouth, a free house for the time being in a good neighborhood, versus the party atmosphere of the Quarter, well, he could hardly argue about that.

Brody slapped at him playfully before stealing another kiss. "I prefer to think of it as starting our lives together in place where I don't have to worry about stepping in puddle of vomit every time I take our daughter out for a stroll down the street or pull my badge every time someone offers me a set of beads."

"Ya got somethin' against beads 'cause last time I checked they looked pretty sexy on ya," Chris quipped moving towards the front door with sound the bell. Pride was right on time with the moving truck or so he thought. A large smile formed on his face until _she_ came into view with a legal sized envelope in hand.

"Savannah." He flicked his tongue over his lips before dipping his head and rubbing his nose, (a nervous habit he engaged in whenever he felt uncomfortable). Recovering quickly, he crossed his arms over his chest, squaring his jaw. "What do ya want?"

"I came by to drop these off, signed and hand delivered," she teased him by pretending to put the envelope in his hand and quickly jerking it away. "But just so you know, I had my attorney make a few adjustments."

Chris' eyes darkened as storm clouds began to form on his brow. "What kind of adjustments exactly?"

"I want half," she said, slapping the envelope into his hands.

"Half of what?" Big blue eyes were now nearly the size of tea cup saucers. Was she out of her god dang mind?

"The sale of your house," she flaunted brushing past him into the living room where Brody was standing holding Emily, "the truck, your bank account, and your Elvis 78 vinyl collection."

"Ya can't do that." Brody thundered, as loud as she dared with her infant daughter in her arms.

"I already did." Savannah's coral colored lips fell into a fine, tight line. "And for the record, I never said I would let him go easily." She added having the audacity to reach over and stroke Emily's cheek.

Her jaw set, Brody took a step back repeatedly trying to marshal her anger. The idea of knocking the smug bitch on her prim Southern ass would have been plausible had she not been holding Emily.

Enjoying the tension she had created, Savannah looked from Brody to LaSalle, "Chris agrees to everything, signs the papers and I walk away, if not…"

"Do not sign those papers." Brody snapped in her best Federal Agent voice as she watched Chris tear open the envelop that held the document to his financial ruin and reach for a pen.

 **A/N: Ok, is it one last hoorah for Savannah before she walks away and lets our super couple have their ending or is there more up her sleeve?**


	12. Chapter 12

**After hearing the news of Zoe's leaving the show, I don't know why the urge to suddenly pick up on this story struck me again other than it represents where I want Chris and Merri to eventually end up. So this is for all of the Cherri fans out there. I know it's been over a year since I started this one. But here ya go!**

 **To Merrilasalle: I never get a chance to say thank you for all of your wonderful comments so I especially hope you enjoy this!**

 **Quick Recap: Chris and Merri go through a whirlwind of complications before the birth of their daughter Emily Cadence. While in labor, Merri asks Chris to her marry her but the situation is further complicated by Chris' marriage to Savannah who refuses to let him go without a fight. Pride gives his house to LaSalle and Brody.**

"Chris?"

He felt the weight of her hand on his back as he hefted the last of the boxes from the back of the truck and placed them on the dolly to be carried inside. He didn't want to have this conversation right now. Not after his _wife to be_ had looked at him with such profound disappointment for giving into the demands of his said current wife.

Disappointed or not, Louisiana was a community property state, it didn't really matter if he'd signed the papers. Savannah would get half of everything he owned, and there wasn't a damn thing he or Brody could do about it.

He'd burned her he reasoned and now, his precious childhood sweetheart, whom (up until Cade had died) he had placed high up on a pedestal was financially raping him in retaliation.

"Chris, please just stop for a second." He took a momentary pause to swipe the back of his hand across his sweat covered brow. He'd worked up a good one today what with all of the lifting, that and his stomach and heart were tied up in knots over Savannah's latest move to destroy him.

"I can't. I gotta, get this truck and the dolly back to the moving company before five," he said, knowing that she wouldn't buy his attempt to avoid having this conversation. But the truth, he just didn't want to talk about it now. Not with Pride, Percy and Sebastian in the house.

"Then I'll come with you." The look in her eyes told him, Brody wasn't about to give-up.

"And what, leave Emily with Sebastian?" he countered.

Brody opened her mouth, contemplating his question. "I was thinking, Pride or Sonja, but I'm sure Sebastian would be just as good."

"Now you're scarin' me," Chris put some leverage on the dolly and started inside, only to have Brody step in front of him.

"You are scaring me." Brody said wide-eyed. "You just gave away half of everything you own to that red headed piranha.

He could see why Merri might be a bit upset with him. What with his, ignoring her protest and signing off on the paperwork so quickly. But he was so dang ready to be free to start his life with Brody and Emily that his on-going battle with Savannah didn't matter anymore. He just wanted this train wreck of marriage to be over.

"It's my stuff, Savannah kin do what she wants with it," he retorted, staring directly into her large brown eyes. Damn, she was beautiful when she angry.

"She's getting half of the sale of your house!" Brody thundered. Homes, even small garden homes like Chris' went for more than half-a-million. As a vice cop working on a meager salary, he'd gotten a steal after Hurricane Katrina and now…

He stood to lose a whole hell of a-lotta-money.

"Kin we please not talk about this right now?" He attempted to move around her when she grabbed the top box from where it had been stacked up three high on the dolly. The box was light enough that it fit perfectly in her arms, allowing her to toss it down onto the concrete with the crash.

Broken glass or maybe they had been dishes at the moment it was hard to tell.

"Don't care about your stuff huh?"

"Brody!" She was reaching for another when he came around the dolly grabbing her at the elbow.

"Let go of me!"

"Everything all right out here?" the front door opened and Pride appeared as the couple stood glaring heatedly at one another.

Brody snapped yanking her arm free, stalking inside. The slam of the door muffled her frustrated growl in time with LaSalle's unmentionable curse.

"Did I just see a reappearance of the Christopher I used to know?" Pride asked as Chris took a moment to remove his University of Alabama ball cap, raking a hand through his short sprigs of hair. It was bad enough that Merri was pissed at him, but he didn't need Pride coming after him too.

"No, Maybe." The idea that the former selfish, womanizing version of himself had slipped out even just a fraction of second gutted him. Had he really just spoken to Brody the way, he had spoken to Billie Hart all those years ago?

"Ya wanna talk about it?" the senior agent asked as Chris bent to pick up the box that Merri had thrown on the ground.

"Not really," Chris placed the box back onto the dolly.

"Let's go for a ride then." Pride's hand clamped down onto his shoulder. There was no getting around this. Whether he wanted to or not, they were about to have one of their little surrogate father-son talks.

"Look it's not a big deal." Chris tried to protest but the older man was already guiding him back toward the street.

"Truck's gotta be back by five and it's yer name so you have to be the one to return it. I'll follow ya."

* * *

"This isn't the way back your house," Chris said as the blue Cadillac convertible rolled passed the turn off, continuing on down the street.

"Technically, it's yours now. Yours and Brody's." Pride grinned briefly looking at the younger man. "Let me ask you something Christopher. Do ya love Brody?"

Chris felt a sprint a of heat start to run up his neck. If it weren't for his ball cap, he was certain he'd be able to see the tips of his ears turning pink when he looked into the rear view mirror. "You know I do." He said, relaxing his arm on the spot that the window usually filled. "Things with Savannah are just complicated right now."

"Life's always complicated, Son. Whatcha gotta remember is that your family always comes first."

"That's what I'm tryin' ta do. Savannah and I-" He couldn't even think about the red head without rage climbing up from his gut and subsequently clawing at his chest.

"Have unfinished business," Pride added. "Tell ya, what. Why don't you let me talk with Savannah. I'll see if I can't get this financial situation taken care of."

Chris started to shake his head. "No, King. I can't let ya do that." The mess with Savannah was his responsibility to bare. He couldn't have his best friend going in to fight this battle for him.

"I've been through a divorce, Christopher; I know how to handle this."

"Ya gave Linda half of everything," LaSalle reminded.

"Half of what was rightly hers." Pride countered. "Linda and I have twenty-three years together. You and Savannah had?"

Chris didn't say anything. He just looked at his surrogate father, a prominent scowl on his face.

Pride kept a slight grin. "Now, what you're going to do is go home unpack all of yer stuff and make up with Brody is that clear?"

"Yes, sir." Chris answered by means of a long sigh. It was going to be tough after all that had transpired. He'd really put her through a lot over this past year with Cade's death, sleeping with Savannah and now the divorce.

He guessed he had been acting a bit like the "Old LaSalle." He didn't deserve her. Hell he didn't deserve Savannah either when he looked back at everything.

* * *

"Where's Emily?"

Everyone was gone when he walked into the kitchen to find Merri unpacking a box of dishes. "I let Loretta take her for the evening. This place is such a mess, I just couldn't deal with all of the unpacking and her too."

"Ya mean ya couldn't deal with me." Chris said, moving so that he was right next to her. Tears were gathering in her eyes as she nodded, nearly unable to speak.

"I don't know how much more I can take of this. I really don't."

Chris lips twitched into a sympathetic grin as he swiped his index finger across her cheek, catching tears. "You don't have to worry. I'll stay at my place until all of this mess with Savannah is over an' ya don't even have to look at me."

He wrapped his arm around her bicep, pulling her close. "I love you, Mere and I'm sorry," he whispered sweeping a kiss to her temple.

"Then don't go," she sniffed looking up at him with her big tearful looking doe eyes. There was so much they needed to work to through. So much that needed to be said. And God knew they hadn't had an intimate moment together since before Emily was born.

Above all over things they surely needed one.

"Ok, then. How b'out if we grab a shower and then I'll take ya out fer a nice dinner and then we can go to that nice little Jazz club ya like down on fifth street. Worry about the unpackin' tomorrow. Maybe we kin talk?"

"How about we just stay in?" Merri said, looking up at him rather shyly.

"Stay'in it is," Chris grinned into her mouth as she grabbed a fist full of his ribbed wife beater. His hands settled on her hips holding her in place as her lips parted, waiting for the inevitable kiss, "But uh we still need that shower first."

"Lead the way, Bama Boy," she whispered huskily before jumping into his arms, her long slender legs wrapping around his lean waist.

* * *

Chris had wanted to set up the bed, light a few candles and maybe allow Merri to enjoy a glass of wine of her favorite wine before they-

But Merri wouldn't hear of it. Once they started kissing and touchin' in the shower that was it. He felt lucky to have found a sheet to that sitting in the very top of one of the opened boxes. Not that he needed a sheet really. He could look at Merri's gorgeous naked form all day long and not have one single complaint.

She'd lost the majority of baby weight save for maybe five pounds. And those stretchmarks she'd been complaining about on her belly. Well, they were nothing but a few flesh colored lines. Her breasts, they had always been the best he'd ever had the pleasure of nuzzlin and teasin', but now that she was nursing Emily they were- He was so captivated by them that he had to stop and remind himself as how sensitive they were while paying them their due. But beautiful Brody was nothing short of perfect, whatever scars she wore from her pregnancy they were just reminders of how much he loved her and Emily.

"I still want you to marry me, Chris," she murmured as they lay together, reeling from the aftershocks.

"As soon as I can, I will." Evidently they'd both forgotten how completely draining love making could be or maybe they were just out of practice. Whatever the reason, they were content to let the moving boxes be until morning. Right now, they had to gear up for round two. Whatever amount of time they had away from Emily they intended to make the most of it bonding and reuniting as a couple.

"So what kind of weddin' ya want?" Chris asked pulling her up onto his chest.

"That depends," Merri dipped her head kissing him softly. "On what kind of wedding you had with Savannah."

"Drunken Justice of the Peace, I think," he said running his hands down her spine. The truth was he still didn't remember much about that night other than waking up in a motel room when Pride called saying that he was needed back home.

Merri thought for a moment, tracing his bottom lip with her finger. "Something small, just you, me, Emily, Pride and Loretta. Maybe my mother."

Chris laughed at the tone in which she used to mention her mother wondering what Olivia Brody would think of him. Not that it mattered. His own mother and sister were going to love Merri. How could they not?

"Oh maybe we could invite Percy. She could sing." Brody added looking at him intently.

Chris lifted his chin, kissing the tip of her nose. "Then we have to invite Sebastian".

Merri's eyes suddenly lit up, "Hey, maybe he and Percy can get something goin? They're cute together don't ya think?"

"Somehow, I don 't think he's her type. I don't think Percy would ever take a chance on him if ya know what I mean," Chris rolled over pulling her underneath him, "But for the record I'm glad you took a chance on me after Cade died."

"It was one of the best decisions I ever made." Merri said into his lips.

"Really?" he said, looking at her sort of sideways. He still couldn't believe after everything that he'd put her through that she still wanted him.

"Really, truly and forever." she smiled at him. "I love you, Chris."

And that was all he needed.


End file.
